Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for endoscopes in which plural kinds of endoscopes having different functions can be controlled.
Heretofore, endoscopes (which are called fiber scopes) by which internal organs of living body can be observed by inserting a long and thin inserting portion thereof and medical treatments and cures can be taken by using a medical appliance inserted in a medical applicance channel at need are widely used.
Various kinds of electronic scopes in which a solid state image sensor, for example, charge coupled device (CCD), is used as an imaging means are also suggested. This electronic scope has such advantages that the resolution thereof is higher than that of the fiber scope, it is easier to record and reproduce the image and to make an image processing such like making the image enlarge or comparing two images.
There are two imaging systems in order to image a colored image obtained by said electronic scopes, one of which is a field or frame sequential system by which the illuminating lights are successively changed to R (red), G (green), B (blue), etc., and other one of which is a color mosaic system (simultaneous system) in which there is provided a filter array, wherein colored filters through which the color of R, G, B etc. passes are arranged in mosaic, in front of the solid state image sensor. The electronic scope using the field or frame sequential system has an advantage that it is possible to make the number of pixels small in comparison with the color mosaic system. On the other hand, the electronic scope sing the color mosaic system has an advantage that no color deviation occurs.
Since each of these electronic scopes has an illuminating systems different from each other, it was necessary to prepare light source apparatuses for each scopes. Thus, the applicant of the present application has suggested a light source apparatus for endoscopes which can be commonly used in the electronic scope having an imaging means using a field or frame sequential system, the electronic scope having an imaging means using a color mosaic system and the fiber scope in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-34,028. By using this light source apparatus, it is possible to operate the three kinds of scopes by only one light source apparatus, so that the economical efficiency thereof can be elevated.
In such light source apparatus which can be commonly used in the fiber scopes and the electronic scopes, the operating panel thereof has such a structure as illustrated in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, there is indicated an operating panel 1 of the light source apparatus having functions for adjusting the photographic sensitivity, the amount of light, hue of red and blue color and air supply and for correcting the contours. There are provided a sensitivity increasing switch 2a, a sensitivity decreasing switch 2b and an indicator 2c for adjusting the photographic sensitivity, an increasing switch 3a, a decreasing switch 3b and an indicator 3c for adjusting the amount of light, an increasing switch 4a, a decreasing switch 4b and an indicator 4c for adjusting the red hue, an increasing switch 5a, a decreasing switch 5b and an indicator 5c for adjusting the blue hue, an increasing switch 6a, a decreasing switch 6b and an indicator 6c for correcting the contour and an increasing switch 7a, a decreasing switch 7b and an indicator 7c for adjusting the air supply. In each indicators 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c and 7c, an operational mode of each adjusting and correcting functions is indicated by lighting one and light emitting diodes (hereinafter it is said as LED) arranged thereon. It should be noted that the indicators denoted by oblique lines in figures show the LEDs 9 in lighting.
Out of said adjusting and correcting functions, the function for adjusting the photographic sensitivity is used only for the fiber scope, the functions for adjusting the hue and correcting the contour are used only for the electronic scopes, and the functions for adjusting the amount of light and air supply are used for both scopes.
As described above, what functions should be used depends on the scope to be used. However, there is no indication by said switch and LEDs 9 to distinguish which function for fiber scope or electronic scope is used on this operating panel 1. And since LEDs in the indicators 4c and 5c for adjusting the hue and 6c for correcting the contour are lighted also during the fiber scope is used, and the LEDs 9 in the indicator 2c for adjusting the photographic sensitivity is lighted also during the electronic scope is used, there is a danger of mis-operating. For example, there is a danger such that during the fiber scope is used an operator might put on the switches 4a or 4b for adjusting the hue in error by way of changing the photographic sensitivity. And contrary, there is a danger such that during the electronic scope is used an operator might put on the switches 2a or 2b for adjusting the photographic sensitivity by way of changing the hue. And, in case that the operator does not mistake, there still remains such dangers that the operator would be confusing and could not establish the desired operational mode promptly.